Hello dear readers; may you be newcomers or fanfiction veterans. I have fought the war against the blank page syndrome and finally decided against procrastinating. I offer you my first fanfic, and against the protests of my Ronmione shipper friends, I made it a Dramione one. Please read and review, it'll be a pleasure to hear from you.

Bowhuntress

About the story: After accidentally using a portkey intended for death eaters, Hermione finds a beaten Draco Malfoy prisoner of his own home. Wanting revenge for his murdered parents and particularly for his mother, Draco escapes with his Gryffindor enemy. After a series of event, they must work together in order to achieve one of the most powerful spell ever created, one that could destroy the dark lord once and for all.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, its brilliant plotline or its characters.

Ephraim

Chapter one – The night and the portkey

Hermione's POV

Hermione ignored the wretched sensation she felt in the bottom of her stomach and lowered her wand. The spell was painless for the victim but the caster, as the young witch learned, could be burdened with guilt. A guilt she was experiencing at that point as she exited her old family house with her magical purse and her wand in her pocket. The "obliviate" she had casted was powerful enough to wipe all the memories her parents ever had of her. They would not remember she was born, or that one particular day her first tooth had fallen, nor the one when she had learned she was a witch. To them, they would only be Mr. and Mrs. Granger, no kids in counting. But Hermione would remember. She would carry on the legacy she had burdened herself with on that precise day when she had pronounced the spell that would mark her new life. She closed the door and took one last look around the quaint, aging neighbourhood where she had spent most of her childhood: The park at the end of the street where she use to play on the swing, the middle school she use to go to and her own house, a sight she couldn't forget even if she wanted to. With a sigh she turned around and started walking down the street, in search for a spot where she could disapparate away without being seen by curious muggles. Her plan was simple, get to Harry and Ron in time for the marriage, then go horcruxe hunting to destroy He-who-must-not-be-named; Voldemort she chastised herself. She was not afraid of his name. Night was well settled around her and the cold seeped under her light clothes. She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself and walked faster.

When at last she found a place where she could use her magic freely, it was well after midnight and her breath was creating small clouds in the cold English streets. She checked in her bag one last time, creating light with a simple "lumos" when she overheard voices. Not the typical "two muggles chatting and walking down the street" voices but "two people plotting to commit a murder tonight" type of voices in the dark. Hermione scurried off and hid behind a brick wall at the corner of the street, long years of mystery solving in Hogwarts to thank for her stealth.

- But the master said we must be back by the morning. whispered the first distinct voice of a man.

- Yes I know that, you fool, but if we don't do this, he'll be even angrier at us. Do you really want to end up like the blond brat? Another manly voice hissed in the darkness, seemingly berating his companion for his stupidity.

- No, of course I don't want to finish like the Malfoy traitor. Replied the first mystery man.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder about Malfoy. Were they talking about the one she had despised for the six previous years? Or about his parents, she knew to be death eaters and Voldemort's followers? Last she had heard about the blond Slytherin git, he had been in the astronomy tower and had tried to kill Dumbledore. A task he had failed, and the murder had befallen on professor Snape, from what Harry had told her. But what was the link between the two men in the darkness and Malfoy, she asked herself. Who were they? She cursed at her inability to see the two strangers, obviously wizards that were standing at the other side of the red brick wall. She was shaken out of her thoughts as she heard a clank, as if a heavy, metallic object had been dropped on the cobblestones.

- There, said the first man, it's done. Now can we go before we're tortured repeatedly for being late?

The second wizard sighed and replied patronizingly.

- Yes you dumb idiot. Now we can go. See, it didn't take so long. Now, in a couple of minutes, our guys from Liverpool will apparate here and then will join us back at headquarters. The dark lord will be pleased to hear we have accomplished our mission.

A cold sweat ran down Hermione's spine. They were death eaters, working on Voldemort's account. And from what she had just heard, they were plotting a plan on this very street. It being so close to her house, to her hometown, made her feel queasy. She had her suspicions on the identity of the two men when they had talked about Malfoy, but now it had been confirmed and it was clear that those two were dangerous. The two men moved around for a couple more minutes in complete silence and more questions popped in Hermione's mind. She stayed put, hidden from the view, alone in the cold. There was a strange whooshing sound, telling her they had apparated away, and then all she heard was silence. She looked around. The sun had risen, and the first morning lights shone over the pink early July skies. Great, Hermione thought. I'm late.

Hermione moved her head to the side so she could survey the street rapidly. Deeming it safe to remove herself from the corner of brick wall where she had hid during those few minutes, the young witch ran to the spot where the suspicious wizards had been standing. Nothing. The Gryffindor sighed. Maybe they had just talked, maybe nothing had happened. She turned around, prepared to finally disapparate and tell Harry and Ron about that close encounter, when her right foot connected with something solid, making her wince in pain. She looked down, ready to curse that blasted object. It was a hydrant, only not a very normal hydrant. Hermione swore it hadn't been there earlier when she had walked by. She knew a bit about muggle regulations for firemen and hydrants. This one was too close to the next one. It was either misplaced or… She recalled the clanking sound she had earlier heard. Why would two hasty death eaters drop a water hydrant in a muggle street? She took out her wand and hesitantly tapped against it, trying to obtain a reaction. Maybe it was a cursed object. She checked it for spells just in precaution. Nothing. Her fingers ghosted against the cold material and she felt something in the pit of her stomach. Another swooshing sound was heard and in the early hours of the summer morning, about five men, draped in black cloaks appeared before her. Suddenly the pulling sensation was stronger. Surprised by the horde of what she identified as death eaters, she stumbled forward and her entire hand fell on the hydrant. The tugging sensation was stronger than ever and she realised that not only was the hydrant a portkey, it was also not meant for her. Hermione barely had time to grip her purse tightly and throw her wand in. The men drew out wands and one of them shouted something like: Get her! The last thing she heard before being transported God knew where was the many curses being shot at her.

Hermione had taken a portkey only once before, in her fourth year, while going at the world quidditch cup. She remembered it was not a pleasant sensation. It was just as uncomfortable that time. Firstly and mostly because Hermione had no idea of where she would land. A thing she had a good idea about though, was that there were going to be death eaters and very possibly a dark lord present for her arrival. She felt just like her whole body was twisting around, and she remembered all of Mr. Weasley's earlier tips about how to land: mentally prepare by visualizing the place where you would step foot. Well, Hermione thought sarcastically. Like that's going to be easy. The tugging and quite annoying feeling anchoring her body to the hydrant finally vanished and the young witch found herself free falling in some kind of void. She closed her eyes in fright, only reopening them as she hit the floor, badly falling on her hip and right shoulder. She hissed at the throbbing pain, but otherwise was quick to pull herself on her feet. As she took in her surrounding, Hermione realised she was in some kind of wealthy house. The walls richly decorated, a crystal chandelier hoisted high and dangling over her, the old, yet clean carpet underneath her feet; everything screamed wealthy pureblood family house. She was admiring the artwork of the fireplace when she heard footsteps nearing the door. She finally remembered that she was in fact standing in the possible location of Voldemort's headquarters. Panicking, she ran out of the closest open door and ran again in the seemingly endless hallways of the house.

She ran until she couldn't anymore, the piercing pain on her hip and shoulder slowing down her pace. She was standing in front of a dark staircase. Renewed footsteps were sounding in the corridor and some shouting ensued, as a death eater alerted his comrades of the unwanted presence wandering around. Hermione, being considered the brightest witch of her age, weighed on the options unravelling to her. She could turn around and find an open room, but the chances she would come face to face with an enemy were increased, or she could take those stairs, where she wasn't hearing any sound, and hope to find a way out. She had tried twice to escape by disapparating, but like in Hogwarts, it didn't seem to work the slightest. She finally chose to take the uneven and cold stairs, where an uncertain future would take a turn for better or for worst.

There, the first chapter. Sorry for no Draco, but I swear we'll get to see our blond slytherin in the next chapter. Please review!